Services
At DocuWright Technical Services, we have both Windows-based computers and Macintoshes networked together. Our editors are proficient on both platforms and are familiar with most of the common word processing and publishing programs.
Proofreading
Our proofreading service consists of correcting spelling, grammar, punctuation, capitalization, and word choice to standard American usage. We do not correct problems such as wordiness, sentence structure, or organizational problems.
As part of our proofreading service, we will provide a brief critique, which generally consists of a list of questions and comments about the document (such as spots that weren’t clear or that seemed weak). We will not correct those items if we are only proofreading. When proofreading, we do not research the accuracy of references or quotations.
If you send us an electronic document in a format that supports tracked changes, we will track the changes so you can see what we’ve done. You can either accept or reject our changes. If you send us a hard copy, at your request we will either mark up your copy and e-mail a scanned image of it back for you to make the corrections, or we will type the document from your copy and correct it electronically before e-mailing it back to you. There will be an additional charge if we need to type your document for you.
Critiquing
A critique is part of every proofreading and editing job we do, but the level of the critique will vary with the level of editing. If we are only proofreading your document, the critique will be fairly cursory, addressing the most obvious issues. If we are performing a thorough edit, the critique will also be more thorough, addressing questions such as content, logic, organization, and tone. Any comments we make reflect only the opinions of the editor, and you as the author are solely responsible to determine the technical accuracy of comments we may make. We will not accept responsibility for problems that may result from the use of our comments.
Sometimes, you don't want anybody to mess with what you've written, but you would like somebody to look at it and give it a fair, intelligent, and unbiased opinion. We can do that. We will critique scientific, technical, or business writing, fiction, essays, family histories, or almost any other kinds of writing you have.
An example of a critique of a technical procedure can be found here.
An example of a critique of a short story can be found here.
Technical Editing
The goal of technical editing is to ensure that a document is grammatically, linguistically, and technically correct. At DocuWright Technical Services, we provide three levels of editing: light editing, thorough editing, and re-writing.
Light editing includes all the services included in proofreading, but also involves some rewriting of your draft to avoid wordiness and ambiguity, to focus sentence and paragraph structures for maximum impact, and to maintain a style or tone appropriate to your subject and audience. In light editing, we usually do not address the technical content of a document, but focus on basic usage issues. In light editing, we do not research the accuracy of references or quotations.
Thorough editing involves a more significant amount of revision, often including rewriting small sections of the document or moving paragraphs or sections of the document to provide greater impact. A thorough editing will often involve communication between you and us, such as telephone conferences or sending one or more drafts back to you with questions or for your approval. When performing thorough editing, at your request we will research the accuracy of references, quotations, dates, and other information which we are qualified to check. You are solely responsible for the technical accuracy of your facts and data.
Major rewriting will always involve communication during the editing process. You will send us a rough draft, and we will turn it into a finished document ready for publication. Once again, you are responsible for the technical accuracy of your facts and data.
For all levels of editing, there will be an additional charge if we need to type your document for you.
Technical Writing
The difference between technical editing and technical writing is that editing starts with a rough draft that you provide. Even after we have edited it, the document will still be largely recognizable as your writing. In technical writing, on the other hand, you tell us what you need, you provide background data and information, and we write the document from your ideas and data.
Documents such as procedure manuals, safety handbooks, audit reports, and policy statements are good candidates for this service.
Because of the wide range of complexity and scope of technical writing projects, we do not offer a price list for this service. Please contact us to discuss your documentation needs. We will be happy to evaluate your project and provide a free estimate of the approximate cost.
Thesis or Dissertation Editing
We will edit your masters thesis, doctoral dissertation, or other kinds of student research assignments to the standards of formal American English. This is particularly valuable to students who speak English as a second language. When we take over the mechanical details of formatting and presenting your work, you will have the freedom to concentrate on your research and scholarship, confident that your thesis or dissertation will present your ideas in a polished, professional manner.
We will not write your thesis or dissertation for you, and we will not edit a thesis or dissertation for a degree in English or related fields. (We assume that a degree in English assumes a certain proficiency in the English language.)
We will edit theses and dissertations in almost any other field, but we will not go beyond a thorough editing. We specialize in helping foreign students frame their graduate documents in formal American English.
Our editors have experience in a wide variety of academic fields. They have edited and critiqued documents in nuclear physics, anthropology, sociology, hydrogeology, environmental science, computer science, history, art, comparative literature, and numerous other subjects. We have also written, edited, and critiqued creative works, such as fantasy novels, poetry, and short stories. Our wide range of interests and knowledge will complement your knowledge of your specific subject. We will help you focus your ideas into a clear, lucid, persuasive thesis or dissertation.
Depending on the length, complexity, and quality of a thesis or dissertation, a good job of editing can easily take three or four weeks. We will gladly work with you while you draft your thesis and will gladly critique early drafts. Please don’t wait until the last minute and expect us to polish your dissertation overnight. You have invested years in your graduate degree; please involve us early in the process and give us enough time to do a good job for you.
We will edit other student projects, such as research papers and essays. We apply the same restrictions to these projects as we apply to dissertations: no English assignments and nothing more than a thorough edit.
Business Correspondence
Business correspondence includes such diverse documents as resumes, application letters, sales letters, grant or research proposals, job offers, and termination letters. Often, business letters can be among the most important documents your firm will write. If an important sale, contract, or job is on the line, every word needs to say what you want it to.
In his personal correspondence with the IRS, our lead editor has a 100% success rate. On three separate occasions over the years, the IRS has demanded that he pay additional taxes, and three times a single letter has settled the problem -- permanently -- with no additional payment. Of course we can't guarantee that kind of results, but that illustrates the persuasive power that a DocuWright editor can bring to your business.
Our editors have written or edited correspondence regarding land use permits, child custody issues, job applications, hospital bills, research proposals, genealogical studies, legal briefs, and numerous other subjects. We can help you with your correspondence needs.
We can usually provide overnight delivery on business correspondence.
Family Histories
We will gladly critique, proofread, edit, or ghost write your family history. We have experience in histories of Mormon pioneer families from Scandinavia and the British Isles, and will gladly work with you to create a family history or book of remembrance that will become a treasured family heirloom.
We are not, however, genealogical consultants or researchers. We may be able to make suggestions for how to continue your research, but we do not normally perform the actual research for you.
Prices for proofreading, critiquing, or editing your family history are the same as for other kinds of work. Please consult the appropriate section of the pricelist.
Click here for proofreading prices.
Click here for critiquing prices.
Click here for editing prices.
Click here for thesis/dissertation editing prices.
Click here for business correspondence editing prices.